Full Day Reef Cruise and 10 Minute Helicopter Scenic Flight Down Under Cruise and Dive by Evolution

Experience the ultimate luxury and adventure with a full day Great Barrier Reef cruise on a luxury super-yacht. Enjoy 5 hours of reef time and a scenic helicopter flight over the reef.

Duration: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Reef Fleet Terminal - Check-in at Reef Fleet Terminal between 7.15am - 7.45am. Once checked in, you can make your way down to the boat, Evolution. Be greeted by your friendly crew, who will provide you with masks and snorkel, and then enjoy arrival tea, coffee and muffins before departure.
  • Norman Reef - Evolution departs Cairns at 8 am with a…
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • Glass of wine, cheese and crackers on return journey
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • All equipment and lycra/sun suit hire
  • Spectacular 10-minute Reef Scenic Helicopter Flight
  • Visit two exclusive outer reef locations with 5 hours reef time
  • Personal flotation aids - life jackets and noodles
  • ONLY DIVE PACKAGES: 1 x Introductory Dive (beginner) or Certified Dive (requires qualification)
What's Not Included
  • Private transportation
  • Dive not included in snorkel package
Additional Information

Down Under Cruise and Dive by Evolution, a luxury 35-meter super-yacht. This package includes a full day to the outer Great Barrier Reef at two stunning reef locations, with 5 hours of reef time plus a 10-minute scenic helicopter flight over the reef. Dives are only included in dive package only (not snorkel package). You will experience the reef from…

Location
1 Spence St
Spence Street
Check-in is from 7.15am to 7.45am at Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns. Evolution departs 8.00am sharp. Return transfers are available for an additional cost. You must contact Down Under Dive to book.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(297 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Linda_h
May 21, 2025
The trip was well... - The trip was well organized and the staff were very professional. Snorkeling at the reef was amazing but the sea was rough and many people were sea sick on the boat journey. The lunch was tasty and plentiful.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth_l
May 19, 2025
Super fun, definitely recommend - The boat was nice and the crew were super fun. Met heaps of interesting people, the reef was gorgeous and it was an overall really fun day out. The helicopter ride was lovely and really gave you an idea of the vastness of the reef. Definitely book the dive, heli and second dive. Some of the smaller boats had more personalised experiences, but this boat definitely had the best facilities and the best buffet lunch.
Review provided by Viator
Y4922avscotts
May 17, 2025
Great cruise great price great memories - What an amazing day and what a beautiful boat. The crew on this boat are so professional and friendly special mention to (Eddie) every thing they do is precision. The helicopter ride over the reef was certainly a highlight of the day what an amazing place the Great Barrier Reef is also the food served is tasty and plentiful. A great day at a very reasonable price thank you down under cruises
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janet_t
May 15, 2025
Great Barrier Reef with great bigs waves - The crew on the boat was amazing, but we went out on a "stormy" kind of day, and the majority of passengers on the boat were sick. I kind of wish the cruise was canceled because of the wind warning, but they said seasick pills should help. Again, the crew was amazing and took care of us during the roller coaster boat ride. We were able to snorkel at the reef, but visibility wasn't ideal. Our helicopter ride was canceled because of weather, too, and they kindly reimbursed us for that part. I have to remember I booked a trip during fall, so there is always the possibility of weather issues.
Review provided by Viator
Heather
Apr 27, 2025
Amazing Views from the Helicopter, Wonderful staff, Easy snorkeling with everything provided. - We were lucky to have a sunny day with light winds and only a slight chop on the water. Fresh muffins & scones on the way. All the staff are amazing. So friendly and attentive. The first reef (Saxon) we only saw 2 small jellyfish, so chose not to wear stinger suits, and it was no problem. We had our 9 year old grand daughter with us, and she was a bit nervous, so we spent more time watching & helping her than seeing much. The lunch salads were good, but the fish & steak were a little overcooked. Hard to get right when they are in warmers for a while too. My husband really enjoyed the prawns. I would have liked a seafood dressing with them. The breads were fresh, but I would have liked a grain bread option too. The second reef (Hastings) was bigger. We did alot more snorkeling, and saw a big empty clam shell, a fairly big live clam that was blue colored, lots of coral (deer antler shaped & big fans), and lots of fish (I love the blue & blue/green ones). Other people saw some clown fish, cuttlefish, & a white tipped shark. The helicopter ride was a first for our grand daughter, so she was very excited (but a little scared initially). The sea was amazing blues & greens, so we got great photos. Definitely worth doing! Cheese & crackers with a glass of chilled wine was a nice touch for the trip home. (A lemon slice in the white wine improves it).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracey_l
Apr 27, 2025
This was a great trip.... - This was a great trip. Great crew, helpful and informative and so much to offer!! Helicopter added to our booking was excellent. Such an awesome way to see the reef!
Review provided by Viator
Kevin_p
Apr 22, 2025
Amazing Day - Amazing experience to see the GBR close up. The crew were amazing throughout the day and safety was always a paramount concern that they handled so well
Review provided by Viator
Christian_s
Apr 20, 2025
Excellent experience! - Snorkeling at 2 locations in the Great Barrier Reef as well as our helicopter flight over the Reif was fantastic! Friendly and helpful crew. Recommend to get to meeting point around 7:30 a.m. as you and 90 other passengers register for the 08:00 hr departure.
Review provided by Viator
Min_z
Apr 18, 2025
Family from Chicago - I booked this tour because I want to have the helicopter ride and cruise. I am glad I made the right choice! The helicopter is the best part- you can only sense the magnitude of the reef when you are up in the air. The ship is super clean and not crowded- no wait in line for bath rooms and food. Lunch is good, the afternoon snack is good! My family all had motion sickness- the crews took care of everyone and at the end of the day what’s left in our mind is the beauty of the reef, good food and friendly crews!
Review provided by Viator
Joseph
May 7, 2025
Good, Scuba experience could have been better. - It was well organised. However I expected better helpfulness from the team for Scuba since I hadn’t done it before. Felt the Scuba was a bit rushed. Otherwise everything was great. The food (lunch) was ok, they ran out of few items towards the end. The snacks were bot great. Overall it felt good. I wish they had taken more care for Scuba - many could not do because the first few seconds are always hard if you are a first timer - then they just push you up and never encourage you to try again. They go down rapidly (the whole experience is just 15-20 mins) - so the descent is quick and hence the pressure builds up quickly. My wife had done Scuba in Andamans before and she says that was way smoother. This is the most sought after cruise - so it’s mostly full. So they rush through everything since there are so many people. The waters are really choppy - so snorkelling isn’t easy, but doable. The helicopter experience was amazing - that was the best of all. They provided sea sickness tablets, mobile pouches etc for a meagre fee.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $260
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).